Wrap for surgical gloves



Dec. 1, 1959 A. J. LANGDON 2,915,173

' WRAP FOR SURGICAL GLOVES Filed June 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 50 46 48 52 W W m fi a I l ls 30 35, 5s 4p 2s- 2o-i 22 4 1 INVENTOR ARTHUR J. LANGDON AGENT Dec. 1, 1959 A. J. LANGDON WRAP FOR SURGICALYGLOVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1958 INVENTOR ARTHQR J. LANGDON AGENT United States Patent 2,915,173- WRAP. Fon SURGICAL GLOVES Arthur J. Langdon, East Hampton, Conn, assignor to,

Sterling Precision Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y.,a cor poration of Delaware Application June 9, 1958, serial No.

7. Claims. (Cl. 206+?) This invention relates toa wrap for. surgical: rubber.

gloves which is adapted to receiyethe latter prior to sterilizing and thereafter maintains thegloves ina sterile.

condition Heretofore, it has been the usual prag iqqto, wrap surgical rubber gloves in a paper, wallet-like structure having two pockets arranged at opposite sides ofacentral full line and opening toward the latter so that, when thetwo pockets are folded on each other, the openings.

thereofare more or less sealed to protect or maintainthe sterile condition of the surgicalrubbergloves contained in such pockets. However, the described existing wrapis unsatisfactory in that it is necessary tohandle the outer.

surfaces 'of the, surgical rubber gloves in order to effect their'removal from the pockets andthe sterile condition of. the'gloves is thus compromised. Further, with the, described existing wrap, the surgical rubber gloves are.

frequently creased upon insertionin the pockets prior to sterilization sothat the steam usedfor, sterilizing the glovescannot reach all portions thereof. It is also necessary, with the existing wrap, to insert a sponge in the hand opening of eachigloveinorder to ensure thatthe inner surfaces of the rubber glove will not sticlg togetherv during sterilizing thereof ,and thereby make difiicult the donning of the gloves.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention .to provide.

A further object is to provide a Wrap of .the describedcharacter which is constructed and arranged inorderto separate theinner surfaces of the surgical rubber. gloves. at the hand openings thereof so that the sponges inserted inthe gloves, as mentioned above, may be eliminated:

Astill further object of the invention isto provide a paper wrap for surgical rubber gloves which is open at the top and bottom thereof in order to permit the free passage of steam through the wrap when, sterilizing the gloves contained therein.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a wrap for surgical rubber gloves is formed of a single sheet of paper having a transverse pleat folded upwardly therein and being divided into four substantially equal sections by vertical fold lines, with each of the central sections having a pair of spaced apart vertical slits cut in the pleat thereof to define a flap portion between the slits adapted to be extended upwardly under the turned down cuff portion of a rubber glove, and with the upper edges of the central sections having tabs extendingtherefrom iay t w a i n n hi s a P ti s and adap ed.

when the related, flap portions are positioned under the. turned down culf portions of rubber gloves, to be in.-, serted downwardly intothe. hand receiving openings. of= the gloves so that the latter are securely. held in position. against the central sections of the wrap by the. coaction. of the flap portions and. the related tabs. In. order to. enclose the surgical rubber gloves in the above described; wrap, the outer, sections of. the latter are folded inwardly over the. central sections so that each. glove is. positionedbetweena central section andan outer. sectionv of. the. wrap and, thereafter, the. two opposite halves of g the wrap are. folded together along the central vertical. fold. line. In accordance with, the invention, theuuppec edges of,: the outer sections; of the paper wrap are ro.-. vided; withtabs extending therefrom which can be. folded; over the central. sections following. theabove described folding operations, thereby to hold the outer sections in coveringpositions over the. rubber. gloves supported by. the flap pofrtionand tabsof the central sections.

The above, andiother objects, features and advantages: of; the invention Willtbe. apparent: in. the following" de tailed description of'an illustrative embodiment. thereofwhich is to be, read in connection withthe accompanying-drawing forming. a parthereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 isfa plan view.of a paper blank frornwhich wrap. for surgical rubber gloves. may be formed in accordancewith the .present invention;

Fig. 2. is a plan viewbf-the wrap formed=from the blankiof Fig. 1," and:shown in itsv open position forreceiving surgical .rubber gloves to .be sterilized, orfonper mitting..the.remova1 of. sterilized. gloves from the'wrap;

Fig. 3 istan enlarged sectional view taken along the, linev 3-.-3 of-Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is aviewsimilar tothatofFig. 2, but illustrating an initial folding operation during the closing of the wrap; and l i Fig. 5 is.a.view .similar'to thatiof Fig. 2, butshowing the wrap in its closed position- Referringto the drawingindetail, and initially to- Fig..'l:.thereof, it..will-beisenthat a Wrap for surgical rubber glovesIis', in. accordance with this invention, formedcf .;a. generally rectangular sheet 10 -of paper or the like. Thesheetlll is divided into four approximately; 7

equal-sections 12, 14,- 16 and 18 by three-spaced apart" vertical fold lines 20, '22 and 24, with thefold line 22 being centeredwith' respect to the oppositeside edges;- 26. and 28-Iof the. sheet 10, and with thefold'lines-20 and-:24 being laterally centered between the central-fold line 22 andithe side edges 26 and 28, respectively.

The sheet 10 forming the blank of Fig. 1 further has'afold line 30.extending laterally thereacross approximately midway between the top and bottom edges '32 and 34$ respectively, ofithe sheet, anda fold line 36 extending parallel to fold iline 3tl-and spaced upwardly from the latter.

The central sections 14 and 16 of sheet 10 are formedwithpairs .of laterally spaced apart slits 38 and 40, and 42 and 44,. respectively, extending parallel to the-fold lines 20, 22 and 24, and reaching from the lateral fold; line 3616 points below the fold line 30; which are spaced from the latter by adistance equal to the spacing between the lateral fold lines 30 and 36. The sheet 10 further hastabs 46 'and 48 extending from; its upper'edge 32 at the" sections Hand 16, such tabs being vertically, aligned with. the spaces between the parallel slits 38 and 40.,andtheparallel slits 42 '-and 44, respectively, and havingsubstantially the same lateral extent as the lateral distance between the related pairs of slits. The blank of Fig.1 iscompleted by tabs 50 and52 extending from the upper edge .32 along the topbf the. sections 12 andre p stive w In fqrming ,a.,wrap.fqr surgical. rubber gloves from the single sheet described above, the sheet 10 is folded in opposite directions along the lateral fold lines 30 and 36, respectively, in order to form a transverse pleat 54 having an'upper edge 30a whichis defined by the fold line 30 of the previously described blank. When the sheet 10 is folded to form the pleat 54, the parts of the pleat between the slits 38 and 40 and the slits 42 and 44define flap portions 56 and 58, respectively, which are free of the remainder of the pleat along their opposite side edges.

Whensurgical rubber gloves are to be enveloped in the wrap embodying this invention, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the wrist cover part of each glove G is folded or turned down to form a cuff portion 60, and the flap portion 56 or 58 of the wrap is bent forwardly out of the plane of the remainder of the pleat 54 and extended upwardly under the cuff 60 so that the bottom edge of the cuff 60 will seat against the lower ends of the slits 38 and 40 or the slits 42 and 44 and also against the fold 36a of the wrap corresponding to the fold line 36 of the blank at the part of such fold 36a extending along the lateral width of the flap portion 56 or 58. Accordingly, the flap 56 or 58 engaging under the cuff 60 of the glove G will limit the downward displacement of the latter rela tive to the wrap.

After a glove has been mounted on the flap portion 56 or 58, the related tab 46 or 48, respectively, is folded downwardly, as in the case of the tab 48 in Fig. 2, and extended into the hand receiving opening of the glove G so that the inserted tab 46 or 48 limits the upward move ment of the glove with respect to the wrap and thereby avoids inadvertent removal of the turned down cuff 60 of the glove from the related flap portion 56 or 58.

After gloves have been mounted against the central sections 14 and 16 of the wrap and are there held in place by the flap portions 56 and 58 and the tabs 46 and 48, the outer sections 12 and 18 are folded inwardly, about the fold lines 20 and 24, respectively, to overlie the central sections 14 and 16 and the gloves mounted thereon, as shown in Fig. 4. Then, one folded half of the wrap, for example, the folded half formed by the sections 12 and 14 with a glove embraced therebetween, is folded about the central fold line 22 over the other folded half of the wrap, that is, the half formed by the sections 16 and 18 with a glove embraced therebetween, so that the back surfaces of the sections 12 and 18, as viewed in Fig. 2, come into confronting relationship, while the central sections 14 and 16 form the outer surfaces of the folded wrap, as in Fig. 5. Thereafter,

the tabs 50 and 52 annexed to the sections 12 and 18,

respectively, may be folded downwardly over the upper edges of the sections 14 and 16, respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in order to hold the sections 12 and 18 in folded relation to the sections 14 and 16, respectively, or, alternatively, the tabs 50 and 52 may be folded together and then tucked between either the sections 12 and 14 or the sections 16 and 18 in order to maintain the folded halves of the wrap against each other, as in Fig. 5.

Since the sections 14 and 16 of the wrap embodying the invention are fully exposed during the mounting of the surgical rubber gloves thereon, as in Fig. 2, the gloves can be easily mounted without the folding or creasing thereof, as is frequently the case when the rubber. gloves are inserted in the pockets of the previously described existing wrap which is intended to be replaced by the invention. Thus, when the gloves are sterilized while positioned or enveloped within the wrap, the steam 1 used for that purpose can contact all portions of the gloves. Further, since the sections 12 and 14 and the sections 16 and 18 between which the gloves are posi-- the gloves. It will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 that the tabs 46 and 48 inserted into the hand receiving openings of the gloves for preventing inadvertent upward removal of the latter also perform the function of separating the inner surfaces of the gloves and thereby avoid the necessity of providing the usual sponge for that purpose. Similarly, the flap portions 56 and 58 extending under the down turned cuffs 60 of the gloves G perform the function of separating the back of the glove from the down turned cuff as well as acting to hold the glove on the section 14 or 16, as previously described. Thus, sticking together of the confronting surfaces of the rubber gloves is avoided.

When the surgical rubber gloves sterilized in the wrap embodying the invention are to be used, the sections of the folded wrap are successively unfolded from the condition of Fig. 5 to the condition of Fig. 4, and finally to the condition of Fig. 2, and it is apparent that there is no need for contacting the gloves held upon the wrap during such unfolding of the sections. With the wrap in the condition of Fig. 2, the gloves can be offered to the scrubbed surgeon by supporting the central sections 14 and 16 of the wrap on upwardly turned palms, or the unfolded wrap in the condition of Fig. 2 may be simply laid upon a table or other supporting surface. The surgeon then simply removes the tabs 46 and 48 from the hand receiving openings of the gloves whereupon the latter can be freed from the flap portions 56 and 58 by mere upward displacement with, respect to the wrap. Such upward displacement of the gloves can be effected by handling only the exposed surface of the down turned cuff 60 which, when the gloves are put on, are disposed at the inside of the gloves, thereby to avoid contamination of the sterile gloves. Since the gloves are completely visible when the wrap is unfolded, as in Fig. 2, rather than being hidden in pockets, as in the previously existing wrap for surgical rubber gloves, it is apparent that the removal of the gloves from the wrap is greatly facilitated and may be performed with less chance of contaminating the sterile gloves.

It is'also to be noted that the above described wrap embodying the invention may be repeatedly reused for holding surgical rubber gloves during the sterilizing thereof and for maintaining the gloves in sterile condition until use.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein wihout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A package comprising a pair of surgical gloves each having a downturned cuff, and a wrap for said gloves including a sheet having two equal central sections which are foldably joined to each other along a central fold line therebetween and two equal outer sections foldably joined to said central sections along the edges of the latter remote from said central fold line, each of said central sections having a flap portion extending in the direction toward one end of the central section and en gaging under said downturned cuff of one of said gloves, and each of said central sections further having a tab extending from said one end and folded in the direction toward said flap portion, said tab extending into the hand receiving opening of the glove having its cuff engaged by the related flap portion so that said tab and flap portion of each central section hold one of said pair of gloves against the latter, said outer sections being folded over said gloves on the central sections and the latter being folded toward each other about said central fold line to envelop said gloves in said wrap.

2. A wrap for surgical rubber gloves comprising a sheet having a pleat extending laterally thereacross and divided into two equal central sections foldably joined to each other along a central fold line extending perpen' dicular to said pleat and two outer sections foldably joined to said central sections along the edges of the latter remote from said central fold line, each of said central sections having a pair of laterally spaced slits extending parallel to said central fold line in said pleat to define a flap portion between said slits extending toward one end of the central section, and each of said central sections further having a tab extending from said one end and folded in the direction toward said flap portion.

3. A wrap as in claim 2; wherein each of said outer sections has a tab at the end thereof adjacent said one end of the contiguous central section and adapted to be folded over said one end of said contiguous central section following the folding of said outer sections over the central sections to hold said outer sections in folded relation t said central sections.

4. A wrap as in claim 2; wherein said flap portion of each central section is substantially centrally located with respect to said central fold line and said remote edge of the related central section, and said tab extending from said one end of the central section has a lateral extent substantially equal to the lateral distance between said pair of slits and is laterally aligned with said flap portion defined between the latter.

5. A package comprising a pair of surgical rubber gloves having downturned cuffs, and a paper wrap for said gloves including a sheet having a pleat extending laterally thereacross and being divided into two equal central sections foldably joined to each other along a central fold line extending perpendicular to said pleat and two outer sections foldably joined to said central sections along the edges of the latter remote from said central fold line, each of said central sections having a pair of laterally spaced slits in said pleat extending parallel to said central fold line to define a flap portion between said slits extending toward one end of the central section and engaging under the downturned cuif of one of said gloves, and each of said central sections further having a tab extending from said one end in the direction toward said flap portion and engaging in the hand receiving opening of the glove having its cuff engaged by the related flap portion so that the tab and flap portion of each central section hold one of said pairs of gloves against the latter, said outer sections being folded over said gloves held against the central sections and the latter being folded toward each other about said central fold line to envelop said gloves in said wrap.

6. A package as in claim 5; wherein each of said outer sections has a tab at the end thereof adjacent said one end of the contiguous central section and which is folded over said one end of said contiguous central section to hold said outer sections in folded relation to said central sections.

7. A package as in claim 5; wherein said flap portion of each central section is substantially centrally located with respect to said central fold line and said remote edge of the related central section, and said tab extending from said one end of the central section has a lateral extent substantially equal to the lateral distance between said pair of slits and is laterally aligned with said flap portion defined between the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

